


Half The Man

by iippo



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Gen, LGBTQ Themes, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:16:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iippo/pseuds/iippo
Summary: Data informs the captain about some changes.





	Half The Man

The door to the captain's ready room chimed. 

"Enter," commanded captain Picard and finished the sentence he was reading. He looked up from his padd right as Lt. Cmdr Data entered the room. Captain Picard greeted him: "Mr. Data, what can I do for you?" 

"Captain, I would like to speak with you regarding a personal matter," Data said in his direct but affable android way. 

Captain Picard adjusted on his seat, to indicate to Data that he was giving the crewman his full attention - though he most likely was not fully aware on a conscious level that that was what he was doing. Data had studied these myriad small ways humans communicated with body language and recognised that the captain was treating him as a valued member of the crew and was available to hear him. So he took a seat and began.

"As you know, I have studied the human condition as a personal project for many years. I am shaped in the form of the human male in order to experience human life in an embodied way." Captain Picard felt impatient with Data's recap of the obvious but he simply nodded indicating to Data to get to the point. 

"After some recent research, which Doctor Pulaski proposed over our correspondence over subspace, I have become acutely aware that my studies have been by necessity limited by my embodiment as a male." Data continued his exposition and captain Picard tried to keep his attention from wandering as he also tried to leap ahead to see where Data was going. 

"What was the nature of this recent research?" He asked.

"Doctor Pulaski suggested I study various types of critical theory and apply them to my model of experience-based learning. She suggested feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory and disability studies, as those branches of philosophy were also very much rooted in the value of experiences when they were first beginning to be applied in the end of the 20th century," Data answered dutifully. 

"I see." Captain Picard remarked, "so did you learn valuable points of view and forms of Praxis from these theoretical studies?" The captain asked, still unsure why this conversation was happening. 

"Yes. I was also able to discuss candidly many of these things with different crew members, and I have had many frank conversations with Geordi and Beverly in particular around how embodiment influences life experiences. Even though they are both human, Beverly's life as a woman and Geordi's life as a blind man make their experiences of humanity vastly different." Data was speaking earnestly - but then again, he was always doing that. 

"Well, I commend you Mr. Data, understanding human diversity is definitely a very valuable topic of study and will serve you well as you advance in your Starfleet career and have more responsibility over different members of the crew," captain Picard said with a smile, adjusting in his seat again, thinking it was time to get back to his reports - subtle body language which was not missed by Data. 

"Thank you captain," Data said, "but I have yet to tell you why I asked to speak with you." 

Captain Picard's smile faltered. All the other captains were always commenting on how lucky Picard was to have the perfect crewman in Data, but they didn't understand that even an android had his flaws that tested the captain's leadership abilities. 

"Because of these studies and conversations, I have come to realise that while my experiences embodied as a human male have been valuable, I lack completely the experiences as a human female," Data said, and then continued. "Therefore I am interested in altering my physical form to conform more to that of a human female." 

Captain Picard had not seen this coming. He was quiet, trying to think of what to say, but not for long as his extensive experience in command helped him bridge the silence. "I see. What would be the... practical aspects of this project?" 

"It would be much like any other crew member receiving medical attention," Data said. "I would prepare the necessary parts and chemicals on my free time, but the operations to apply them might require me to miss some duties - depending on whether Geordi and Beverly encounter any difficulties during installation." 

Captain Picard flinched. "Have Doctor Crusher and Mr. LaForge already agreed to perform these... operations?" He  asked. 

"I have not yet discussed the idea of restructuring my body with them," Data answered, and Captain Picard relaxed a little. He wasn't sure why he was so on edge about this. 

Data too had noticed the changes in the captain's demeanor. "Captain Picard, are you opposed to my idea of altering my physique?" He asked frankly. Captain Picard felt uncomfortable being confronted so directly - but he also recognised the value of such directness from crew members, and tried to allow himself to feel the discomfort without letting it cloud his judgement.

"I must admit, I do find it a  _highly_ unorthodox request," Captain Picard started. "As you know I am very supportive of you pursuing human experiences, and perhaps it is for that very reason I find this idea ill fitting. Humans go through life as one gender and we have to learn to empathize with people who are different from us without that shared embodied experience," he mused out loud. 

"With all respect Captain, that is not quite true," Data interjected politely but firmly. "While most humans stay in one gendered body their whole lives, there is a significant amount of people who do change their body to reflect a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. Transgender people have existed in some form in every human culture. For example the ancient Babylonians--"

"Yes you are right Mr. Data thank you," Captain Picard said somewhat sharply, wanting to avoid a lecture. He was sure Data's research was thorough and that he hadn't made any mistakes. "But transgender people seek these different methods of transitioning out of a necessity. I feel uneasy about you pursuing this as some kind of a social experiment. It feels... disrespectful, like a mimicry of their experiences." 

"Captain, my entire existence is a mimicry," Data said. And while people always said that it was impossible for Data to convey feelings - indeed, to feel - Captain Picard could swear he could sense a deep, primordial feeling in Data's words, of loss, of outside-ness, of longing to belong, of being resigned to one's fate. He sighed. "It pains me to hear you put it like that, but I suppose it is true," he said. 

"I had considered altering my programming to be female in order to have an inner experience of gender similar to that of transgender people, but Doctor Crusher was very helpful during our long discussions in pointing out that since I do not have any specific male programming, there would be no need for female programming either and any attempt at such would most likely result in incorrect stereotypes. I have learnt that for humans, gender is a complicated process of continuous construction between the changing and aging body, the world and the inner state - which would be impossible for me to replicate." Captain Picard listened to everything Data was saying, his brows furrowed, concentrating and thinking carefully. 

"More over, my daughter Lal had no female programming but chose to be female and lived as a female," Data added, and again Captain Picard felt a twinge, remembering Data's brief stint at parenting, and knowing that Data did - in an android way - experience grief over lost loved ones, such as Tasha Yar. How much more must he comprehend his loss of Lal, who was one of only a handful of existing androids like himself, as close to kin as Data could have. 

Captain Picard thought carefully about what to say next.

"I appreciate that you came to discuss this with me," Captain Picard said, "and I will support you through this process in whatever way you wish." He rose. "When do you wish to begin?" 

Data rose also. "I will begin my social transition right away, including replicating some new uniforms. I would like to announce it at the next senior staff meeting. I will ask everyone to refer to me with the pronouns 'she' and 'her' and refrain from addressing me as Mr. Data - though I do understand that it can take a while for people to change their speech patterns." 

Captain Picard was impressed at the thoroughness of Data's preparation. "Well, commander Data, I wish you success in this new aspect of your pursuit of understanding what it is to be human. I am very glad to have you as a member of my crew." Captain Picard shook Data's hand warmly and returned to his seat. 

"Thank you Captain," Data said and with that, she left left the ready room. 


End file.
